Bill Braun

GMUS PAPER
FALL CONCERT

Appreciation of the Trombone

Bruce Tychinski was a guest artist performing at Forbes Center for the
Performing Arts on Monday November 2, 2016. His signature instrument was the alto
and tenor trombones and he performed with Julie Nishimura accompanying him on the
piano. Bruce Tychinski performed a range of pieces of from composers of multiple
centuries which was nice because a variety of types of styles were played.
My favorite element of the recital was recognized during the second piece. As he
started playing it reminded me of a slow jazz/blues bar. Bruce Tychinski was playing
Andante et Allegro, and as it began the melody was this slow beautiful song. The key was
minor, and the music took me away to another place. Bruce Tychinski started tapping his
foot, and swaying his body back and forth to keep time, and what was produced was the
flawless rich tone of the trombone. His range of dynamics in this piece, as well as the
entire performance, was the most effective part of the concert overall. He could play low
loud notes that would make my ears hurt, but immediately play a beautiful soft quiet note
that sounded so sweet. ,
I was generally impressed by the performance. I will admit I was not excited to
see a solo trombonist perform, but the more Bruce Tychinski played the more I enjoyed
to listen. I actually used to play the trombone in middle school, and it was fun to jog
those memories. I also must say that I forgot about the saliva buildup in the bottom of the
slide, and when he blew it out, I knew it was his saliva was all over the stage. I
appreciated the variety of pieces he performed, and I thoroughly enjoyed the second
piece, which was Andante et Allegro. I enjoyed how the movements were performed
together without a pause and the despite the different movements the same motivic
elements were present in each element. This seemed to help connect them together
despite the contrasting tempos in each song. Another song I enjoyed was the
Improvisation No. 1 for Unaccompanied Trombone by Enrique Crespo. I enjoyed this
song because I hated it. Even though I did not enjoy the song, I appreciated the talent to
be able to play it. The song was loud, and seemed to have no rhythm. The song was
annoying at first, but the more I listened, the more I enjoyed it. I realized the reason it
sounded so unique and different was because it incorporated elements of South American
music, jazz, and a hint of classical music, all mixed together. The dynamics fluctuated,
and the rhythm featuring staccato and syncopation, but then the melody would also
sometimes flow and sound beautiful. The last piece I enjoyed was the Suite of Negro
Spirituals by James Markey. It was fun to hear these familiar songs played by the solo
trombonist. Throughout his performance it is important to mention that the accompanying
piano, Julie Nishimura, played beautifully together despite the variety of themes and

melodies, themes, and textures. Seeing Bruce Tychinskis performance was a good
experience, and amplified my appreciation and interest in musical performances.